It is worth noting that (authentic) phurbas can still be found at fair prices in antique stores in India - especially in Janpath in Delhi, where a lot of items from Tibet, Nepal, and elsewhere may be found... IMO the plethora of reproductions has driven down interest and demand, and as a result legitimate antique copies are quite affordable (haggling in Hindi doesn't hurt either ). I'll post a pic of one or two of ours tomorrow...

One last thing I would add: while fine detail may help determine the authenticity of a ritual object, I do not believe the lack of detail is necessarily a sufficient condition to determine a piece is not authentic. I have seen plenty of pooja room statues and castings that are not of the finest quality, as people buy what they can afford.

It is also worth noting that time can and often will take its toll on detail on many older pieces that are not as well cared for as they could be...